Comments on: New Defense Chief Shows Who The Boss Is

Gates' Reaction To Walter Reed Scandal Was Swift, Blunt

[frankly6]

I guess support the troops was just a hollow slogan all along.

[racam_us]

If you type in VA Hospital cutbacks in any search engine it tells the whole story. Bush is the one that is responsible for the budget cuts that led to this starting in 2003. When Gates fires him, I will be impressed but not until then.

[down-ndirty]

"I think he [Gates] is the best Defense Secretary this country has had in very long time." Posted by mikegeorge24

Gates is only micrometers ahead of Rumsfled in credibility. He would, and did, advocate U.S. bombing of a country in order to overthrow its democratically elected government. He also participated in Reagan's Iran/Contra affair but was lucky enough not to get indicted.

Gates is just another Bush family crony.

[d95018]

it doesn't matter if its the VA or the Army WWII or Iraqi vets we don't deserve the abuse we have gotten. I went to the VA in Alburkey for a spot on my lung and was told that I had cancer by the dept head before I had even had a bio. it almost destroyed my wife. I told him he was full of *** and I didn't have cancer. Gates need to clean house and deliver his message for veterans. "no more ***".

Mr Gates thank you.

[forthepeaple]

EVERYONE GO READ IT THAN TELL ME YOU WANT THE SAME OLD S.H.I.T. IN CONGRESS. THEY HAVE BUILT 5 SUPER MILITARY BASES THERE WE WILL BE THERE FOR AT 30 TO 40 YEARS. UNLESS I GET IN OFFICE AND I BLOW THEM UP. AND GET OUT OF THAT SAND BOX

[down-ndirty]

It's obvious the root cause of Walter Reed Hospital is much deeper than an administrator who had been on the job only six months, or Harvey. It's obvious that the root cause is someone like Rumsfeld or perhaps even Shrub himself. Shrub hasn't funded the military sufficiently to conduct a war and care for its casualties.

Shrub hasn't done the military any favors in the past six years; he has only used and abused them.

[forthepeaple]

POZAC1 GO BACK AND READ PENTAGON WHISTLE-BLOWER ON WAR WITH IRAQ AND IRAN AT WWW.SCOOP.CO.NZ LOOK TO THE LEFT SIDE OF PAGE MIDDLE OF PAGE FOR THE STORY.

[salvo19]

Well, well so we have Mr Gates to kick some incompetent bureacrats, the Sec of the Army and
MG Weightman. How about LG Kiley, who is the core of these problems when he was CG of Walter
Reed. Lets see if Mr Gates really means business.

cannonball

[dirtydog55]

Let's not forget that Gates "was close to many figures who played significant roles in the Iran/contra affair and was in a position to have known of their activities."

So much for Gates' credibility.

Posted by dirtydog55

[pozac1]

While we are at it let's just get the hell out of Iraq and Korea...we've been at both countries much too long.

How about taking care of our OWN borders with our own military.

Sure...so a few have commanders have had to change jobs...big &^%%ing deal...they will not lose their retirements and their jobs WILL be replaced by more of Bush's "yes" men.

Americans are still asleep...when will they wake up to the corruptness of our elected officials and do something about it. If this is a Democracy..it is failed. If it's a Republic then we have all been shafted. You can't tell a Republican from a Democrat anymore.

The USA really needs some politicins to run that can maintain their moral character and integrety..just stay away from the two major parties amy more...give me a Ross Perot any year!

[gkc99]

It is only too typical of the swill in the White House that even the veterans whose lives and bodies they are wasting on their lying war and the upcoming war in Iran are treated like dirt.

[whitzoo]

Meritocrat-your are right, as a 27 year active duty veteran, I know that there is no difference in the deserved treatment. But people still need to know the difference between the agencies if they expect the politicians to listen. The "privitazation" program under the Rumsfeld DOD that is at the heart of this debacle is doing the same thing to military family quarters, the mail system and mess halls world wide. It is and should be a scandal that should result in the pilloring of all the neocons who have been destroying our military strength and morale for all this time. CBS should open up the rest of the pandoras box.

[forthepeaple]

prayerful1 please go to www.scoop.co.nz and read the truth about our government please. under pentagon whistle-blower, and get it out to all your peaple to vote for david a belanger for president if you want it to stop. he is americans for america......

[meritocrat]

whitzoo,

I am not ignorant%u2026I am active duty, for over 13 years. I just refuse to make a distinction between the care for veterans whether they are still on active duty or post-service. The commitment must be the same, agree? Veterans are veterans are veterans. The DoD budget has been so convoluted by earmarks and special supplementals that the perverted prioritization of active duty care is impossible to ascertain. It is more transparent for the VA. I live with inadequate active duty care every day, ask anyone, it's inadequate. Battlefield care is awesome, the follow-up rehab, and the local care for active duty is broken. And Gates is exactly right when he points out it is a leadership problem.

[prayerful1]

This healthcare neglect is not a new sprung-up thing. My deceased husband who gave the military 30yrs. of his life, and passed away as the result of a service connected injury in 1998 literally begged me not to take him to a VA hospital because of conditions there with health care. I really applaud whoever it was that shed light pubicly on this horrible situation. No doubt, veterans do deserve better treatment.

[mikegeorge24]

Robert Gates is no Texan! The CBS article refers to, "Gates' hands-on, no-holds-barred, Texan-style," He was born and raised in Wichita Kansas, Graduated college from William and Mary, and spent most of his life working is way up the ranks of the CIA to become the first Director who came in the door at the bottom! He lived in Washington State north of Seattle for a number of years prior to being named President of Texas A & M University; his only Texas connection. I think he is the best Defense Secretary this country has had in very long time. And I wish him and all the veterans of this country all the best, with Robert Gates at the helm. But please, he is no Texan.

[forthepeaple]

go and read pentagon whistle-blower at www.scoop.co.nz tell all your frends and famely to read it, than put it all over the web vote for david a belanger for president, under the new wave party americans for america

[whitzoo]

I cannot believe the ignorance of many of the posters. The Secretary of the army and Walter Reed Hospital have nothing to do with the Veterans Adminstration. They are two different agencies and the Department of Defense and the Army have no responsibility for what happens at VA hospitals.

[cynicservant]

Look back about four years. Look for UPI articles about reservists and langoring in hellish conditions, without air conditioning. Look for Fort Knox (31 Oct 2003) and Fort Stewart (17 October 2003).

What is different today from four years ago?

[forthepeaple]

i very sorry for what happen to your father and i thank him and your family for his service to the country. i have been writing the congress for years and the pentagon for years about this very thing. i am glad something was done asap but still concern whats next. all over this country we have millions of vets that are dieing because there country deserted them. i'am sorry. please take a moment to read what i'ev been saying for a long time now someone high up is spilling it out, and spelling it out to the americans and america read this story at www.scoop.co.nz called pentagon whistle-blower on the bush,rumsfeld,cheney, and his whole adminstration what they have done to you. its time to put a end to everything in washington clean house wash everyone down. and start over from top to bottom. gates can stay so vote for david a belanger for president under the new wave government americans for america....